Michigan State University Athletics
No. 17 Spartan Women Conclude Road Trip at Iowa Sunday
2/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 17 Michigan State women's basketball concludes its arduous week, traveling to Iowa to take on the Hawkeyes on Sunday, Feb. 7 at 3 p.m. ET. The Spartans will once again celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day against Iowa in a game televised on BTN Plus.
| No. 17/14 Michigan State (17-5, 8-3 B1G) vs. Iowa (15-8, 5-6 B1G) | |
| Date | Sunday, Feb. 7 |
| Time | 3 p.m. ET |
| Location | Iowa City, Iowa | Carver-Hawkeye Arena |
| Tickets | Click To Purchase |
| Television | BTN Plus |
| Radio | WJIM 1240 AM | SpartanSportsNetwork.com |
| Game Notes | Michigan State | Iowa |
| Statistics | Michigan State | Iowa |
| Internet Coverage | |
| Social Media | @MSU_WBasketball  | Facebook  | Instagram  |
• No. 17/14 Michigan State concludes its treacherous stretch of four games in eight days. MSU is 2-1 so far with wins against Wisconsin and Michigan and a loss to No. 5 Maryland. The Spartans conclude the extended two-game road trip at Iowa on Sunday, Feb. 7 at 3 p.m. (ET). This is the second meeting this season between MSU and Iowa with the Spartans capturing the first meeting, 80-73, in East Lansing.
• Junior guard Aerial Powers had a season-high 31 points for her fourth-straight 20-point game. She has also scored at least 30 points in two of the last three games. She also scored 30 points in MSU's win over Wisconsin on Jan. 31. She has had 12 games this season when she has scored at least 20 points.
• Redshirt sophomore guard Branndais Agee set a new career high for the second-straight game with 22 points at Maryland. She scored 12 points alone in the fourth quarter to help in the Michigan State comeback.
• During the Spartans stretch of four games in eight days, MSU has been led by the Detroit pair of Aerial Powers and Branndais Agee. In the last three games, Powers has averaged 29.3 ppg, while Agee has scored 17.3 ppg. Agee has shot 59.4 % from the field.
• In her ninth season at the helm of the Spartans, Suzy Merchant is on the verge of reaching several milestones. With a career record of 397-211, Merchant is just three wins away from reaching the 400-win mark. She is also just four wins away from the 200-win mark at Michigan State. Merchant (196-91) is the second winningest coach in Michigan State history.
ABOUT IOWA
The Hawkeyes are 15-8 overall and 5-6 in Big Ten Conference action, having a two-game win streak halted with a 79-74 loss at Indiana on Thursday night. Iowa's two-game win streak came on the heels of a three-game losing skein that started with an 80-73 loss at Michigan State on Jan. 16 at East Lansing, giving the Hawkeyes a 3-3 mark in their last six. In Thursday's loss at Indiana, sophomore guard Whitney Jennings led three Hawkeyes in double-figures with 22 points, followed closely behind by junior guard Ally Disterhoft's 20 points, while freshman forward Megan Gustafson notched a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Iowa led 58-47 after three quarters, but Indiana doubled them up in the fourth quarter, 32-16, to overtake the Hawkeyes.
Overall, Disterhoft leads Iowa and ranks tied for 13th among the B1G scoring leaders with 16.8 points per game, as well as 13th in field goal percentage (.524) and tied for sixth in minutes played (35.9 mpg). Sophomore forward Chase Coley is tied for seventh in field goal percentage (.556) and tied for 14th in defensive rebounds (4.4 drpg). Gustafson is 11th in field goal percentage (.526) and sixth in blocked shots (1.6 bpg), while junior guard Alexa Kastanek is tied for 11th in three-pointers per game (2.0). While Iowa doesn't have anyone among the league rebounding leaders, they spread out their rebounding as Disterhoft, Coley and Gustafson are all tied for the team lead all with 5.5 rpg.
In the B1G only stats, Disterhoft is tied for 17th in scoring (16.3 ppg), along with 13th in field goal percentage (.516), 14th in three-point percentage (.382), tied for 16th in blocked shots (0.9 bpg). Coley is fourth in field goal percentage (.591). Gustafson is tied for 17th in rebounding (6.3 rpg), including tied for 15th in offensive rebounds (2.5 orpg), as well as fifth in blocked shots (1.8 bpg). Freshman guard Tania Davis is 13th in assists (3.9 apg) and 15th in three-point percentage (.375), while Jennings is 12th in free throw percentage (.774).
Overall, Iowa is eighth in the Big Ten in both scoring offense (73.8 ppg) and scoring defense (69.6 ppg) to rank ninth in scoring margin (+4.2). The Hawkeyes are sixth in field goal percentage (.445), 11th in three-point percentage (.322) and seventh in free throw percentage (.724)., along with sixth in rebounding (38.9 rpg) and seventh in rebounding margin (+1.3). Defensively, Iowa is sixth in blocks (4.3 bpg) and 13th in steals (6.1 spg), while the Hawkeye offense is eighth in assists (15.3 apg) and ninth in assist/turnover ratio (1.0).
In the B1G only stats, the Hawkeyes are 10th in scoring offense (71.3 ppg) and seventh in scoring defense (73.5 ppg) to rank ninth in scoring margin (-2.3). Iowa is also fourth in field goal percentage (.452), eighth in three-point field goal percentage (.338) and 13th in free throw percentage (.677). Iowa is tied for ninth in rebounding (35.9 rpg) and fifth in rebounding margin (+0.4). Defensively, the Hawkeyes are fifth in blocks (4.3 bpg) and 13th in steals (5.1 spg), while offensively, Iowa is 10th in assists (14.2 apg) and 12th in assist/turnover ratio (0.9).
Lisa Bluder, is in her 16th season at Iowa and is the Hawkeyes' all-time winningest coach in program history, logging a 319-182 (.637), as well as her 32nd season overall, amassing a 675-324 (.676) mark, with Sunday's game her 1,000 overall game as a head coach. Bluder is also one of 10 active major coaches with 600 or more wins.
MICHIGAN MISS BASKETBALL THE HAWKEYE
Iowa freshman guard Tania Davis is a native of Grand Blanc, Mich., and was named Michigan Miss Basketball by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan and the Detroit Free Press in 2015 at Goodrich High School. Davis is currently averaging 7.8 points, 3.0 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 0.8 steals per game overall. In B1G only stats, Davis is 13th in assists (3.9 apg) and 15th in three-point percentage (.375).
SERIES HISTORY BETWEEN SPARTANS AND HAWKEYES
Michigan State trails the all-time series with Iowa, 35-27, but the Spartans have won three of the last four meetings, including this season's first meeting, 80-73, on Jan. 16 in East Lansing, avenging Iowa's 52-50 win in East Lansing on Jan. 18, 2015 which snapped a MSU two-game win streak in the series. With MSU making the return trip to Iowa City on Sunday, this marks the first season that the Spartans and Hawkeyes will square off twice in the same regular season since the 2010-11 campaign, meeting just once a season the last four seasons. MSU is 9-19 against Iowa in Iowa City, but the Spartans won on their last trip there, 88-72, on Jan. 16, 2014.
LAST TIME MICHIGAN STATE AGAINST IOWA - No. 18 Spartans 80, Hawkeyes 73 - Jan. 15, 2016
Aerial Powers scored 21 of her 23 points after halftime, powering No. 18 Michigan State's 80-73 comeback over Iowa on Jan. 15, 2016. Powers scored eight of the Spartans' 12-straight points to open the fourth quarter and lead 58-47. Powers scored another four and Tori Jankoska added a 3-point play to push Michigan State (13-4, 4-2 Big Ten) to a 65-51 lead with 4:12 left ankoska scored 18 points, Branndais Agee added 14 and Jasmine Hines 13. The Spartans made 11 of 14 free throws in the final 1:30 to close it out. Tania Davis had a career-high 16 points for Iowa (13-5, 3-3), which shot 60 percent from the field in the first half, including 75 percent from 3-point range. The Hawkeyes led 36-23 at the half and 47-46 at the end of the third quarter. Whitney Jennings added 15 points, Ally Disterhoft 13 and Kali Peschel 12 for Iowa. MSU trailed 36-23 at half time after the Hawkeyes out scored the Spartans 20-10 in the second quarter. With the comeback, Michigan State improved 1-4 when trailing at the half.
LAST TIME MEETING IN IOWA CITY BETWEEN MICHIGAN STATE AND IOWA - Spartans 88, Hawkeyes 72 - Jan. 16, 2014
The Michigan State women's basketball team started fast and never trailed en route to a decisive 88-72 victory at Iowa on Jan. 16, 2014. The Spartans (12-5), who have won six-straight overall and are alone in first place at 4-0 in the Big Ten, picked up a victory in Iowa City for the first time since 2007. It was the lone meeting of the season between MSU and Iowa (14-5, 2-3). Five Spartans scored in double figures, led by 20 points from redshirt freshman Aerial Powers. Powers was 7-for-9 from the field, also adding eight rebounds in 28 minutes. Freshman Tori Jankoska poured in 19 points off the bench in 25 minutes, hitting all three of her 3-pointers, and adding three assists with no turnovers. Senior Annalise Pickrel was also hot from behind the arc, going 4-for-6, as she totaled 16 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Classmate Klarissa Bell had a solid night with 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Junior Kiana Johnson orchestrated the Spartan offense with eight assists, while adding 10 points and three steals. The Spartans began the night by hitting seven of their first nine shots to open up a 15-8 lead at the first media timeout (15:32). The two teams would match possessions until MSU ran off 11-straight points, including 8-in-a-row from Jankoska, over a 3-minute span to open up a 20-point lead (38-18) with 6:11 until halftime. Michigan State would keep up the offensive efficiency, ending the half on a Becca Mills jumper to go into the break ahead 49-28. MSU shot 54.3% from the field, including 5-for-9 (55.6%) from 3-point, in the first half. Iowa attempted to get back into the game in the early minutes of the second half, cutting the deficit to 15 (57-42) with 13:38 to go. However, Michigan State quieted the crowd by going on a 14-2 run over the next 3:50 to put its stamp on the night. The Spartan lead would grow to as high as 29, before the Hawkeyes chipped away in the final minutes.
CAREER NOTES VERSUS IOWA
Both Tori Jankoska and Aerial Powers have played three games against Iowa in their Michigan State careers, including the Spartans' 80-73 victory against the Hawkeyes in East Lansing on Jan. 16. In three games, Powers has averaged 19.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. She scored 23 points with seven boards in the come-from-behind win. Jankoska has scored 14.7 points with 3.7 rebounds per game. She also added 18 points in the win in January. Senior center Jasmine Hines has played four games against Iowa, averaging 4.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Her 13 points against the Hawkeyes this season were a career high.
MSU CHARITY STRIPE RECORD AND FAB FROM FREE THROW IN FEBRUARY
Michigan State was a school-record 19-of-19 at the free throw line Wednesday night against Michigan, marking the fifth time in school history that the Spartans were perfect at the charity stripe with more than 10 attempts. The 19-of-19 outing betters the previous top mark of 14-of-14 on Feb. 9, 2003 against Penn State, and was the first 100 percent at the free line outing since Feb. 13, 2003 versus Ohio State. Of the five 100 percent marks in school history, four have come not just in February, but in the first two weeks of the month as well, with the other February occurrence coming on Feb. 6, 1982 at Ohio State as well as on Dec. 21, 1996. Additionally, three of the five perfect times have come at home.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
This week, Michigan State is ranked No. 17 in the AP the AP and No. 14 the USA Today Polls. The Spartans have been ranked every week this season in the AP poll. The No. 14 ranking is the highest this season for Michigan State. The No. 14 ranking in the USA Today poll is the highest since Jan. 4, 2011 when MSU was ranked No. 13.
MSU SETS CHARITY STRIPE RECORD
Michigan State was a school-record 19-of-19 at the free throw line on Feb. 3 against Michigan, marking the fifth time in school history that the Spartans were perfect at the charity stripe with more than 10 attempts. The 19-of-19 outing betters the previous top mark of 14-of-14 on Feb. 9, 2003 against Penn State, and was the first 100 percent at the free line outing since Feb. 13, 2003 versus Ohio State. Of the five 100 percent marks in school history, four have come not just in February, but in the first two weeks of the month as well, with the other February occurrence coming on Feb. 6, 1982 at Ohio State as well as on Dec. 21, 1996. Additionally, three of the five perfect times have come at home.
POWERS ON A HOT STREAK
Against No. 5 Maryland on Feb. 5, junior forward Aerial Powers set a new career record with 14 field goals made. She had a season-high 31 points against the Terrapins. She has scored at least 20-points in four-straight games. This is also the second time in the last three games that Powers has reached the 30-point mark. Over the last four game, Powers has averaged 28.3 ppg.
AROUND THE NATION
Michigan State is sixth in the nation in rebound margin (+13.9). Maryland is first in the nation in rebound margin (+17.5). The Spartans are 14th in the nation in 3-point field goal defense with opponents shooting 26.0 percent from beyond the arc. MSU is 12th in the nation in scoring margin (+16.4).
CLOSE CALLS
Three of Michigan State's five losses this season have been by a very close margin. The Spartans have lost four games by nine points or less. MSU fell to Baylor by eight points, 84-76, while losing to Louisville by seven 85-78. The Spartans closest game of the season was an 85-80 defeat to Ohio State in Columbus on Dec. 31. Most recently, the Spartans fell to Maryland by nine points, 85-76. Four of Michigan State's losses have come to teams that are currently ranked (Baylor 4/4, Maryland 5/5, Ohio State - 7/7, Louisville 13/13).
HOW THE SPARTANS' RANK
Michigan State is third in the conference in scoring defense, allowing only 61.0 points per game, while moving up to fifth in scoring offense with 76.4 ppg. MSU is second in scoring margin (+15.4). The Spartans are now first in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.774). MSU is second field goal percentage defense (.371) and three-point field goal defense (.275). Michigan State is also second in rebound margin (+12.8), just behind Maryland (+16.6).
Aerial Powers is up to fourth in the B1G in scoring with 20.7 ppg. Powers is also sixth in rebounding, averaging with 8.5 rpg. Tori Jankoska is 18th in scoring, averaging 16.0 ppg. She is also third in free throw percentage, shooting 88.4 percent. Jasmine Hines is ninth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage, shooting 53.7 percent from the field. Akyah Taylor is fourth third in offensive rebounds with 3.1 per game, while Hines is tied for fifth (2.8) and Powers is tied for 15th (2.2). Branndais Agee is tied for fifth in the league in steals (1.9 spg).
SPARTANS IN B1G OPENERS
Michigan State is 23-12 in home Big Ten openers in 35 years in the league. The Spartans have won six of their last seven in the Breslin Center. MSU has only played Wisconsin in the B1G home opener twice, falling 67-66, during the 1983-84 season and winning on Sunday.
After a loss to Ohio State, Michigan State is 17-18 all-time in Big Ten openers, having won its last four of its last six ... Under Coach Merchant, the Spartans are 5-4 in Big Ten openers ... This is the fourth time in the last five years that MSU has opened Big Ten play on the road, beating Minnesota, 81-56, in the 2013-14 season ... This was the first time since the 1998-99 season that Michigan State tipped off Big Ten action against Ohio State, when the Spartans lost to the Buckeyes, 62-60, in East Lansing.
LAST TIME OUT: MSU VS. MARYLAND
Michigan State (17-5, 8-3) hoped to move into a second-place tie with the Terrapins but never lead. The Spartans fell into an early 11-2 hole, trailed by 17 in the second quarter and used a late surge to make the final score respectable. Aerial Powers scored a season-high 31 points for Michigan State on 14-for-27 shooting. Branndais Agee added 22 points, but no other Spartan reached double figures.
AGAINST IN-STATE SCHOOLS
Michigan State has had great success against other collegiate programs in the state of Michigan over the past 12 seasons. Since the beginning of the 2002-03 season, the Spartans are 47-4 (.922) against in-state rivals, including a 32-4 (.889) mark under Coach Merchant. All-time, Michigan State is 180-59 (.753) against other Michigan schools.
MAGIC NUMBERS
In head coach Suzy Merchant's tenure, when two numbers on the scoreboard were achieved it typically has been a sign of a MSU win. The Spartans scored over 70 points for 13-straight games until the loss to Indiana (65-81). Overall, MSU has scored at least 70 points 19 times overall this season. MSU has won 82 of its last 88 games when scoring at least 70 points, and MSU is 99-11 under head coach Suzy Merchant when hanging at least 70 points on the scoreboard. This year, MSU is 15-4 when scoring at least 70 points.
JANKOSKA REACHES MILESTONE
Junior guard Tori Jankoska became the 25th Spartan to reach the 1,000-point mark in her career with 20 points against Idaho State. She now has 1,304 career points. Jankoska tied a career-best nine assists and a career-high five steals in the contest.
The Spartans are 6-1 this season and 19-1 all-time when Jankoska leads the team in scoring. The junior guard posted back-to-back 20-point showings in the first two games of the 2015-16 season MSU is 15-4 all-time when Jankoska posts at least 20 points.
Suzy Merchant RADIO SHOW
The Suzy Merchant Radio Show is typically held on Wednesdays if no conflicts, from 12-1 p.m. at Reno's East on Abbott Road. It can be heard locally on WVFN 730AM or at SpartanSportsNetwork.com.
CLOSING IT OUT
The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 135 of their last 139 games (.971) when leading with five minutes left, including 86 of their last 89. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 171-7 (.961) when holding a lead with five minutes left. This season, the Spartans are 17-0 when leading with five minutes left.
AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
Under Coach Merchant, Michigan State is 22-41 against ranked teams, including 15-12 at home and 5-18 on the road. As a ranked team against fellow ranked team, MSU is 12-21 versus ranked teams. This season MSU is 0-3 against ranked teams with losses to then-No. 5 Baylor, No. 9 Ohio State and No. 5 Maryland.
POWERS NAMED TO STALEY WATCH LIST
Michigan State junior Aerial Powers was named one of 18 women's basketball players named to the Dawn Staley Award Mid-Season Watch List.
Powers, a native of Detroit, Michigan, is one of five players from the Big Ten Conference named to the Watch List, along with Ohio State's Kelsey Mitchell, Minnesota's Rachel Banham and Rutgers' Kaleah Copper and Tyler Scaife. The reigning Staley award winner Tiffany Mitchell of South Carolina was also named to the list. This is the second-straight season that she has been named to this list.
UP NEXT
After concluding a tough three-game week, the Spartans return to a normal two-game schedule. Michigan State will host Penn State on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. The game will be scheduled on the Big Ten Network. MSU will then travel to Nebraska for the only meeting between the teams this season on Sunday, Feb. 14 at 4 p.m. (ET). That game will also be televised on BTN.
powers named to watch listS
Redshirt junior forward Aerial Powers has been placed on the 2016 John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 20 list, as announced on Friday by the Los Angeles Athletic Club. The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2016 John R. Wooden Award. In early February, the Late Season Top 20 list will be announced. Fifteen top players who have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA will be submitted to the voters on the ballot prior to the NCAA Tournament. Junior forward Aerial Powers represented Michigan State. Powers was also named to the Naismith Early Season Watch List on Dec. 9. She was one of nine players from the Big Ten conference honored on the Naismith Preseason list. Senior guard Denzel Valentine was named to the men's Wooden Award Watch List and the Naismith Watch List. Seven conferences are represented on the list with the SEC boasting seven selections, followed by the ACC and Big Ten with six apiece.
BOUNCE BACK ABILITY
In Coach Merchant's first nine seasons, the Spartans are 62-25 (71.3%) following a loss.
FANS CONTINUE TO PACK THE BRESLIN
Michigan State women's basketball continues to pack the Breslin Center, finishing the 2014-15 season 10th in the nation in home attendance. The Spartans averaged 6,119 fans in 16 home games this season. MSU had a total of 97,906 fans pass through the gates. This was the 11th-straight season that the Spartans have been ranked in the top 15 nationally in attendance. MSU has had a total attendance of at least 80,000 since 2005-06.
This season, MSU has averaged 6,230 per game through 12 home games. The Spartans are 10th in the nation and second in the Big Ten behind Purdue which averages 6,204 fans per game.
Aerial Powers GOLD MEDALIST
Junior forward Aerial Powers has a very eventful offseason. She helped guide the United States to a gold medal in the World University Games. The U.S. defeated Canada in the gold medal game, as Powers led the team with 27 points and nine rebounds. Powers also led the team in scoring for the tournament with 18.0 points per game on 51.4 percent shooting from the floor. She averaged 6.0 rebounds per game in six games. The United States finished with a perfect 6-0 record after going 3-0 in the group stage and sweeping through the medal round.
SPARTANS RANKED IN PRESEASON POLL
Michigan State women's basketball opened the 2015-16 season ranked No. 24 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll. This marks the third-straight season that the Spartans are ranked in the Preseason AP Poll after being No. 20 in 2013-14 and No. 14 in 2014-15. It is also the sixth time under head coach Suzy Merchant that MSU has had a preseason AP ranking with a No. 17 ranking in her first year at the helm of the Spartans in 2007-08, along with No. 10 in 2009-10 and No. 25 in 2010-11. The Spartans are one of four Big Ten Conference teams in this year's Preseason AP Top 25, joined by No. 6 Ohio State, No. 9 Maryland and No. 19 Northwestern. Additionally, Rutgers and Iowa were among others receiving votes.
MSU SIGNS NATIONALLY RANKED RECRUITING CLASS
Michigan State women's basketball head coach Suzy Merchant announced the signing of three National Letters of Intent, including Mardrekia Cook (Muskegon, Michigan/Muskegon), Nia Hollie (Minnetonka, Minnesota/Hopkins) and Taryn McCutcheon (Parkersburg, West Virginia/Parkersburg South). The three players are currently ranked No. 11 by ESPN Hoopgurlz.
Cook is a 6-0 forward from Muskegon, Michigan, who plays for head coach Rodney Walker at Muskegon High School. She is ranked No. 37 in the nation by both ESPN's Hoopgurlz and Dan Olson's Collegiate Girls Basketball Report. As junior, Cook averaged 22 points and 14 rebounds, leading Muskegon back to the district finals. In just three seasons, she surpassed the 1,000-point mark and is a three-time all-conference selection. She is the daughter of Sabrina Ware and Mardrekus Cook.
Hollie is a 6-0 forward from Minnetonka, Minnesota, who plays for head coach Brian Cosgriff at Hopkins High School. Hollie is also ranked No. 27 by Prospect Nation and No. 33 by the All-Star Girls Basketball Report. Last season, Hollie led Hopkins High School to the class 4A state championship, while earning all-tournament honors. She scored a game-high 26 points in the championship game, as the Royals ended the season with a 30-1 record. For her high school career, she has averaged 15.7 ppg and 4.6 rpg. She is the daughter of Hortense Hollie and Alton Brown III.
McCutcheon is a 5-5 guard from Parkersburg, West Virginia, who plays for head coach Scott Stephens at Parkersburg South High School. She is ranked No. 71 in the country by ESPN's Hoopgurlz and No. 70 by Dan Olson's Collegiate Girls Basketball Report. McCutcheon is also ranked No. 59 by Prospect Nation and No. 82 by Blue Star Basketball. She is a three-time first-team all-state honoree. McCutcheon is also a three-time Two Rivers Athletic Conference and Ohio Valley Athletic Conference selection. In her first three years of high school, McCutcheon and the Parkersburg South have accumulated a 68-13 overall record, including winning the state title as a freshman. In high school, she has averaged 15.0 ppg 7.0 apg. She is the daughter of Deana and Jason McCutcheon, who were both collegiate athletes.
